Viktor & Rolf: Bath Decadence

When designers Viktor & Rolf introduced Flowerbomb in 2005 the scent became an instant classic. Now, the Dutch duo is channeling the intoxicating floral notes into bath pearls encased in a glass jar with their signature pink and black. We chatted with the creative pair on a summer afternoon in New York City.

Bazaar: The Perfumed Bath Pearls is such a luxurious product. Do you envision the Viktor & Rolf woman as someone who will incorporate this product into her beauty routine?

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V&R: Yes, definitely. In our universe, beauty, fashion, it's all linked, it all comes from the same source, so to speak. And Flowerbomb is very much about luxury, opulence, and we think that something as everyday as taking a bath should be a luxurious experience.

Bazaar: You refer to this product as a 'hidden jewel.' What significance do the pearls and the jewels have with the product?

V&R: Well when we launched Flowerbomb we saw the bottle as a diamond grenade, so there's always a link to jewelry. Something that's very precious and beautiful, so let's say the link to jewelry and the link to precious stones is quite logical in the universe of Flowerbomb.

Bazaar: How does the femininity of the Flowerbomb packaging relate to the clothing that you design? How does it all work together?

V&R: I think it's all about spectacular beauty always. From beauty products, but also our fashion, and we always try to look for something that's very feminine, but modern, meaning we want to put it on edge. So I think the image of Flowerbomb is a very good example of what we find beautiful. There should always be some kind of mystery, too. It's very feminine, but there's also something aggressive about it, so let's say the juxtaposition, the contradiction between the two, which is already in the name — Flowerbomb — two opposites. Our work is always about that. Something very feminine put on edge with something contrasting…It is very romantic, but with an edge.

Bazaar: How did you arrive at the name "Flowerbomb" and what does the name mean to you both?

V&R: It was our first perfume, so we wanted it to be a symbol of our work, of everything we do — a hallmark. And we thought of Flowerbomb because of the contradiction in the name. Like we want both, it's also like you don't want to choose, you don't want to be only sweet, you don't want to be only edgy… That's the way we see women as well.

Bazaar: And why did you choose pink and black?

V&R: The beautiful pale pink with the pearlized effect was like a symbol of something very feminine and makes you think of skin. But then we chose the black to make it graphic and stark.

Bazaar: What was your favorite part about coming up with this new bath line?

V&R: I think it's to enlarge the Flowerbomb world, to go beyond just the perfume, you know, it's an experience. There's a lot, I think, possible with Flowerbomb.